Aftermath
by SummertimeSparrow
Summary: The second wizarding war is over. The good side won. Hermione tired after a year of horcrux hunting just wants some peace in life. But is it entirely possible with her feelings being challenged against her childhood nemesis, Draco Malfoy?
1. The End and The Beginning

CHAPTER 1

 **This book begins immediately after the last chapter of The Deathly Hallows (before the epilogue).**

 **Happy Reading!**

After Harry had finished talking to Dumbledore in the Headmaster's study, all Hermione could think about was how exhausted she was, how her stomach was roaring in want of food. They had not eaten anything since the few sandwiches Aberforth Dumbledore had given them last night along with pumpkin juice.

She bade good-bye to Harry and Ron who departed to Gryffindor dormitories to sleep before they were caught by someone or the other trying to thank them for saving the world. She herself was stopped seven times from third floor to the kitchens. All of them wanted to tell her how grateful, how thankful they were for saving them.

Finally after a while Hermione made it to the kitchen. House-elves were busy preparing food for all those who were still in the castle and could muster to choke food down their throats. The impact of Voldemort being dead, the war being over and another five dozen people being dead hadn't quite hit her yet.

All she could feel was the need for her to eat and sleep and the bone wearing exhaustion that had never somewhat left after Bellatrix Lestrange tortured her with the cruciatis curse and carving _mudblood_ on her forearm. She sank down on one of the stools when one house-elf approached her.

"Would Miss Hermione like to eat something? I have the best apple pie prepared." Said the elf who had large blue guileless eyes.

"Thank you, if it's not too much trouble I'd like a cold glass of milk as well." Hermione replied with an exhausted smile.

"Sunny is most pleased to serve Miss Hermione." The elf Sunny bobbed his head and went away to fetch one for her. After eating her fill, Hermione went back to the Gryffindor common room purposefully avoiding all busy corridors or hiding behind things to go back unnoticed.

She decided not to go sleep in the dormitory that was assigned to her in her sixth year but the one which was of Harry and Ron. She found them easily enough and slipped into the bed next to Ron for comfort. Ron stirred when she lay next to him and immediately his eyes searched around the room, looking around for danger.

When he realized it was only Hermione a soft smile took over his face. Hermione smiled at him too and fell asleep a few moments later snuggled by his side as the adrenalin wore off and the exhaustion took over her body. For the first time in a year  
she fell asleep knowing for sure that world would a better place when she woke up.

OoOoO

"Ron, Mione wake up!" Harry gently nudged them. Hermione and Ron woke up disgruntled with their eyes darting left and right to check what was wrong. It was a hazard of being on the run for so long, to immediately assume they were in danger. When they realized that they were safe their breathing eased a bit.

"What's happening?" Ron asked.

"Everything alright Harry?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine. Just a few reporters who wanted to talk to us about the battle." Harry said feeling annoyed himself. "They expect us in the great hall in half hour."

"What time is it?" She asked him.

"Half-past two." He replied.

Nodding Hermione kissed Ron's cheek and said she would meet them both there after freshening up. She gave them their clothes and brushes out of her mole-skin pouch and went to the prefects' bathroom to have a quick shower and clean up. She was ready fifteen minutes later and decided to wear her only other pair of clean jeans with plain black blouse.

After tying her semi-wet hair into a bun on the back of her head, she went downstairs ready to face the onslaught of questions and fake smiling at reporters who wanted to know and confirm all the questions and rumors that erupted during their year at run. As much as she didn't want to she knew that she would have to answer them soon. So why prolong the inevitable right? The sooner she gave enough details to feed their stories the quicker it would end.


	2. Freedom from Fear

**CHAPTER** **2**

The interview went as they expected all the reporters wanted to know was _did you really break into Gringotts? Is it true you escaped Gringotts on the back of a Ukrainian Ironbelly? Did you also break into the Ministry?_ Gossip, it looked like, was all they gave a damn about. They didn't know the truth of being on run. The realities behind the heroic deeds of bravery, when the only other option was being caught and murdered.

They would never know how hungry they had been all time because they couldn't risk going anywhere to get food and had to make do with the berries and fruits, sometimes a rabbit if they could manage to kill one or maybe even squirrels. They didn't know about the sleepless nights they spent, fearing someone would catch them if they let their guard down. The best part was, they also didn't seem to want to know about the reality, only the things they wanted was the best piece gossip that could be extracted from them.

The three avoided the subject of Horcruxes all together as they planned before entering the hall. Hermione answered most of the questions as she was the most eloquent of the trio. They were calling them the _golden trio_ now. Harry and Ron piped up in places where Hermione seemed to slow down to catch her breath. All in all, the interview lasted for about three hours. It was dinner time when Professor McGonagall made them all leave telling them Harry, Ron and Hermione were still tired.

They had dinner in the great hall with those who were still at Hogwarts; funerals for those who died fighting were going to be held the next day. It was unanimously decided they would be buried where Dumbledore was buried, in respect of giving their lives fighting for the good. Voldemort's body was taken away by Kingsley Shaklebolt, who informed Harry that his body would be chopped into pieces and thrown into the sea surrounding Azkaban. Great hall was the first place everyone started repairing after the battle. Everyone who could help did, right now it looked as good it could after the end of a battle.

Professor McGonagall took them aside and told them that she could have two elves prepare a guest suite in the castle for them and they were welcome to stay as long as they liked. They thanked her but refused and told them that Molly had already asked them to come home as soon as possible. Professor McGonagall bade them goodbye and told them to use the floo network in her office if they wanted to.

They arrived at the Burrow in swoosh of whirling green flames on after the other. Molly hugged them each and kissed their cheeks.

"I forbid you three to ever leave without warning for such a long time. I lived in fear for all three of you each day, expecting the worst news. I nearly had a heart attack when Remus told me you three were captured and taken to the Malfoy Manor. Are you three alright? Did they do something to you?" Molly asked

"Those gits locked me and Harry in the cellar and Bellatrix Lestrange tortured Hermione with the cruciatis curse and engraved her arm with _mudblood_. Dobby, you remember Dobby right mum?, he rescued us along with Griphook, Mr. Ollivander and Luna. He took us to the shell-cottage, to Bill and Fleur as you know but Bellatrix's dagger hit him as we apparated from the Malfoy Manor." Ron told her, his face reddening with anger. Hermione held his hand for comfort as he explained the details to his  
mother.

After a lot of explanations and assurances to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley they were allowed to go their rooms. Hermione went with Harry and Ron to discuss what they were going to do now. They were joined by Ginny in Ron's room. She sat on the foot the bed with Hermione since the beds were already occupied with their respective sleepers.

"Harry will you move to Grimmauld Place soon?" Hermione asked.

"I plan to. Ginny will you move in with me?" Harry asked Ginny with a bit of red tingeing his cheeks.

"Of course you idiot. I don't plan to let you out of my sight for a while now." Ginny smiled at him.

"Ron, Hermione come with me too? That house is going to be empty without you both with me."

"Okay." Hermione agreed, knowing that she was still not comfortable being around Ron after his leaving them in November. She had still not forgiven him entirely. What scared her more was the fact that she didn't think a part of her could ever do that.

"I can't." Ron sighed laying down on his mattress and staring at the ceiling. "Not when Fred just..." his voice trailed off. Ron was staring hard at the ceiling trying hard not to blink. Hermione realized that he was trying not to cry. She squeezed his hand that she was holding. He squeezed it back. "Mum needs us."

There was silence in the room when they realized that the only sound in the house was that coming from the splash water in the kitchen. Even though they had won the war, they did not feel the happiness, the jubilation that was supposed to be there. Only the absence of fear that had hung around for the past three years and the emptiness it brought along.

OoOoO

Three days later Harry, Hermione and Ginny were all set to leave for the Burrow. After breakfast they apparated on the doorstep of Grimmauld Place and then went inside. Harry took the master bedroom on the second floor and Hermione took the room beside  
it.

That very day an owl arrived for Harry and Hermione each, from Kingsley to ask if they would like to attend Malfoys' trial to be held on the 11th of May.

"Did you receive the letter to attend the Malfoys' trial too Hermione?" Harry asked curiously.

"I did. Are we going to attend it?" Hermione said.

"I think you should attend. Didn't you say Harry that Draco didn't recognize you when he easily could have? He saved you from being killed that night at the Malfoy Manor and Narcissa Malfoy lied to Voldemort and again a Malfoy saved your life; I think you should at least attend the trial." Ginny said.

"Okay, Hermione you will come with me too?" Harry asked her, his voice still filled with uncertainty.

"I suppose I will too." Hermione said. They wrote back to Kingsley that would attend the trial and asked him to tell them time at what the trial will be held.

"You realize we will have to go and buy new formal robes to go to the ministry right? All we have are those of our Hogwarts ones..." Hermione asked him

"Yeah I suppose we can't really avoid this trip to Diagon Alley." Harry said in a resigned voice realizing that he would have to be in a space full of public where people would inevitably flock to him. That day, they did nothing but grocery shopping and bought other items of daily need. They did it all from muggle London to avoid being stared at. They bought new clothes for themselves with Ron accompanying them. Ron was asked to attend the trial too and he said he was waiting to talk to them first. At night they went back to the Burrow as they had promised Mrs. Weasley they would. Finally at 11 pm, tired they bade their goodbyes and departed back to Grimmauld Place.

Hermione cleaned her bedroom spotless and spread the new sheets she had bought that very day (pink with gold and white flowers). Then she sank into her bed and fell asleep after tossing and turning in her new bed, dreading tomorrow's trip to Diagon alley.

OoOoO

 **A/N: The date of this chapter is assumed to be 6th of May 1998.**

 **I would love to hear what you guys have to say about the story so I'm waiting for you reviews (appreciation, critics, suggestions or anything you want to say).**

 **Much love,**

 **SummertimeSparrow**

 **Come find me on Tumblr and say hi !** **summer-time-flowers**


	3. All New Things

**Chapter 3**

Next day the four of them went to Diagon Alley as planned, what surprised them was, only a handful of people approached them to speak to them the others caught their eye just smiled, waved or tipped their hats in thank you. This they decided they could deal with. As Harry and Ron went to buy new robes at Madam Malkin's boutique, Hermione headed to Flourish and Blotts to buy some new books for herself. Ginny went to Eyelops Owl Emporium to buy an owl for Harry and herself. Meanwhile Hermione bought _Madam Cerci Cadaver's Guide to All Household Spells_ and two other old leather bound books _Ancient Wandless Magic Vol. 1 and 2_. After paying at the counter for her books she headed to meet Ginny in the pet shop.

She missed her familiar dearly. She wondered many times where her half-kneasel/half-cat was or he, like so many others was killed during the war. It pained her to think her beloved familiar dead so she preferred to think he was out roaming in the wood hunting mice, squirrels and pigeons and being blissfully free and alive.

"Hey did you choose an owl yet?" She asked Ginny as she entered the shop.

"I can't seem to decide between this tawny girl and this eagle boy." Ginny sighed.

"The tawny girl is beautiful also she's younger than the eagle and will last longer but the eagle can carry long distance or a bit heavy post easily." The girl at shop explained eagerly to Hermione to help Ginny choose.

"Uhh, I think eagle would be a better choice?" Hermione said.

"I think so too. Okay then we will buy him." Ginny said turning to the girl. They paid 10 galleons for him and left to go to Madam Malkin's shop. Harry and Ron were paying for their robes when the girls entered the shop.

"Hey! You bought the owl without me!" Harry exclaimed when he saw Ginny was carrying one in her hands.

"Yes, I thought might as well save some time." Ginny smirked at him.

Hermione went to try on a few robes from the rack. She ended up buying two of them a deep purple with a few flowers scattered around the bottom and another plain white with silver work around the neck and bellowing sleeves.

The four of them had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and then went back to Grimmauld Place. After storing their respective purchases away, they sat in the living room on the first floor.

"Harry when are you going to throw away all the shit in this house?"Ginny asked Harry softly.

"Let's start now? Better than thinking about all those innocent muggles killed by Voldemort for no actual reason?" Harry said with a dark tinge to his voice. They nodded their heads in accent because in truth that was, what kept Hermione up at nights when she wasn't paralyzed by fear in her dreams being tortured by Bellatrix.

Hermione had written to Kingsley asking if they could find her parents in Australia for her as soon as she got hold of a quill and parchment at the Burrow and explained their situation. Kingsley had replied the next day, saying that he had sent three people to find them and bring them back. He would write to her as soon as they were found. That was four days ago and Hermione was starting to worry a bit. So when Harry suggested they clean the house, it was the perfect opportunity to distract her. Harry called Kreacher back from Hogwarts to help them.

They started by cleaning up the attic on the top. It was mostly filled with old books on the shelf and a few boxes of dress robes packed up. They decided it would be convenient to convert it into a study/office for Harry for future use. So by nightfall they had managed to clean up the attic squeaky clean. Similarly for next two days they went up and down the house stripping it off from all things of _The Most Ancient and Nobel House of Black_. After much research and coaxing to Kreacher they even took down the portrait of Walburga Black, Sirius' mother and sent it to Hogwarts. By the nightfall of the 9thof May Ginny with help of Hermione had planned to even take down the wallpaper and replace the filthy fading ones with new that they were ordered (by Harry of course) to buy from Harry's money from Gringotts.

So on Sunday, the 10th Ginny and Hermione dutifully went to muggle London and bought the required supplies to start the very busy month the girls would spend while Ron and Harry joined the auror training from the next day. Hermione was invited to join them too but declined to join them though, and said that she wanted to go back to Hogwarts with Ginny to complete her education first.

After dinner when they retired to their bedrooms, Ron went with Hermione to hers. She pulled out her parchment and quill to write to Headmistress McGonagall.

 _Dear Headmistress McGonagall_

 _How are you? How is the work of rebuilding Hogwarts going? I am glad to see all the photos in The Daily Prophet documenting all the damage and reconstruction that is going on. If you need any help, do let me know. Also I wanted to ask if I could come back to Hogwarts this year to complete my education? Harry and Ron have already been accepted into auror training but I profoundly desire to be fully educated before venturing out to work at the ministry. I will be waiting for your owl._

 _Yours sincerely_

 _Hermione Granger_

As she was going to borrow Harry and Ginny's owl (which Ginny named) Helios to send him with the letter, Ron spoke " 'Mione do you really want to go back to Hogwarts? I mean you know you can get a job in whatever department you want, I am sure Kingsley could arrange it for you."

"Ron just because I can get a job doesn't mean I don't want to be eligible to take it." Hermione explained with a sigh.

"What do you mean? Harry and me aren't good enough to take up the job?" Ron asked a bit of anger seeping in his voice.

"You know that's not what I meant Ron. I was talking about myself not you." Hermione said raising her eyebrows. He had no reply to this so he just sulked in bed like a three-year old, pouting. Cute, Hermione thought and then went to send her letter with the owl.

This she realized, was the problem whenever she talked to Ron, he assumed everything she said was somehow to demean or make him feel stupid. This was not the first time it had happened either. She had observed small instances of such behavior ever-since their first year. Maybe, she thought, it happened when you were the sixth boy in the house, but she had no experience to confirm her theory, being an only child of her parents.

When she came back she slipped next to him and they fell asleep almost an hour later after discussing the trial that was going to be the next day at 1 in the afternoon. Ron agreed that he would tell how Draco and Narcissa Malfoy had saved Harry from being killed but he refused to speak anything else in his favor, not that there was ever anything to speak. That night Hermione again had another dream, where a blonde grey-eyed boy was desperately asking her to save him from the endless dark fog behind him.

OoOoO

 **A/N: So what do you think is going to happen at the Malfoys' trial? I am excited to write it! (Though I might secretly be half-way through it by now ;)**

 **I would love to hear from you guys! Leave me a review or two**

 **Much love**

 **SummertimeSparrow**


	4. Forgiven Foilles

**Chapter 4**

Next morning all of them were ready by 12:30 to leave for the ministry. They were going to floo directly into Kingsley's Office in order to avoid the press that would surely be gathered in the atrium to know all about the Malfoys' trial. As soon as they reached Kingsley ushered them to the personal lift of the minister and took them to the room where the hearing would be held. Up till now they had successfully evaded the media frenzy. There was a buzz of excitement, apprehension and tension on the faces of the members of the Wizengamot.

William Fawley was now the Chief Warlock of Wizengamot. He had dirty blonde hair, green eyes, olive skin-tone and was 30-something as Hermione saw. He was one of those men who struck Hermione as winsome, not that there were many who did. They took their seats to the left of the entrance in the second row. They were clearly the only non-members of the Wizengamot because the rest of the witches and warlocks wore plum-coloured with an elaborate 'W' on the left hand side of their chests. The Malfoys came in right at 1 o'clock and the trial began. They were asked to drink 3 drops of veritaserum and settle down in the three stools in the center of the room.

"The accused being present, let us begin. Are you ready Mr. Weasley?" said Mr. Fawley to Percy who had resumed his position as court scribe after the war. After Percy's nod of yes, he continued.

"Disciplinary hearing of the eleventh of May, into offences committed under the Decree for the Restriction Against Dark Arts and the International Statue of Secrecy by Lucius Abraxas Malfoy of The Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire. Interrogators: William Absalom Fawley, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot; Kingsley Brian Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic; Madam Cordellia Judith Archer, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Court Scribe Percy Ignatius Weasley." Mr. Fawley said. By this point there was complete silence in the courtroom.

Then he took out another piece of parchment from the stack beside him and read out loud, "The charges against accused are as follows:

'That he did knowingly, deliberately and in full aware of the illegality of his actions, having twice accused of being a death eater and once being convicted for breaking and entering into the Department of Mysteries to steal a prophecy for the Dark Lord, killed, tortured and imperiused numerous people in the past two years all whose names are present on this list, which constitutes as offence under Paragraph A of the Decree for the Restriction Against Dark Arts, 1746 and also under Section 1 of the International Confederation of Warlock's Statue of Secrecy.

'You are Lucius Abraxas Malfoy of The Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire?" Fawley said in business-like tone, looking hard at Lucius Malfoy over his desk.

"Yes" Lucius Malfoy said, his pale hands knotted in his lap tightly.

"Despite knowing the illegality of your actions, you did kill, torture and imperiused people?" Fawley said.

"Yes"

"And you agree to take whatever punishment the Wizengamot sees fit for your crimes?" Fawley pressed.

"Yes" said Lucius Malfoy in a tone that didn't reveal any emotion.

"Very well, do you have anything to confess before the Wizengamot decides your punishment?" Fawley asked.

"I do."

"Okay, go on."

"My wife Narcissa Sylvia Black-Malfoy and son Draco Lucius Malfoy had no part in my crimes. They never killed, tortured or imperiused anybody of their own will. They were forced by the Dark Lord that either they commit these transgressions or die. They did what they did to survive." He finished with a bit of desperation leaking into his voice. Murmurs broke out in the court room and Hermione who was observing the Malfoys closely could see, that there was nothing but truth shining in Lucius Malfoy's eyes.

The same trial was repeated for Narcissa Malfoy and then for Draco. Narcissa Malfoy too pleaded mercy for her son and accepted she only committed the felonies when her hand was forced. Draco confessed to have been given the task to kill Albus Dumbledore in his sixth year, as a punishment for his father not being able to retrieve the aforementioned prophecy and also being branded with the dark mark on his forearm.

"At last I would ask that of all those present would anyone like to speak for the Malfoys?" Fawley asked eyeing the present members of the trial.

"Uhm, I would like to say a few things for Narcissa and Draco Malfoy before the Wizengamot decides on the punishments." Harry stood up.

" Draco never killed Albus Dumbledore; it was Severus Snape who did it. I know because I was there in the Astronomy Tower the night it happened, also I would not have been able to make it had Draco not let us escape the Malfoy Manor the night I was caught along with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley by the snatchers. I was saved by Narcissa Malfoy when I was in the forbidden forest." Harry finished taking a deep breath and then sitting down.

"Do Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger also attest to what Mr. Potter just said?" Madam Archer spoke up.

"Yes" agreed Hermione and Ron

"Very well, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, the Wizengamot will announce the punishment after deliberating. The Malfoys are mean while ordered to sit outside the court-chambers until called inside." Fawley said.

As soon as the Malfoys left the courtroom many starting airing their views as to what their punishment ought to be, some worse than the others. Half-hour later the Malfoys were called back into the dungeon. After they took their seats Fawley began.

"The Wizengamot has decided the punishments of the Malfoys, which are as follows:

'Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, you are sentenced a life-time term in Azkaban until your death and here forth banned to see any of your friends, relatives or family.

'Narcissa Sylvia Black-Malfoy you are sentenced to five years in Azkaban, which due to Harry James Potter is shortened to six months, thus relieving him of any life-debt he owes to you.

'Draco Lucius Malfoy you have not been sentenced to any punishment, seeing as you were underage and forced under the threat of death, but you are ordered to go back to Hogwarts within a week and help in the rebuilding process and also to complete your education of seventh year this semester. This is also because of Harry James Potter and henceforth finishes his life-debt to you.

'Do the Malfoys agree that their punishment is just and fair?" Fawley asked after reading their punishments.

"Yes" the Malfoys agreed one by one.

"Then the Court of Wizengamot adjourns this hearing of the Malfoy family on the eleventh of May." Fawley finished.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were then taken by the aurors and Draco too stepped out of the courtroom. After bidding good afternoon to all members of the Wizengamot Harry, Hermione and Ron too left. Kingsley asked them that they could use the fireplace in his office to leave too.

As they left the courtroom he found Draco waiting for them.

"Thank you Potter, for what you did in there." Draco said

"Don't thank me ferret, it was Hermione who asked me to come and speak for you." Harry said hotly.

"Thank you Granger and I am sorry I did nothing to stop my aunt from torturing you that day. She never was the same mum said, after her time in Azkaban. She was a lunatic like her husband. Azkaban destroyed whatever little sanity they had left." Draco said in a low tone.

"It's alright Draco, you couldn't have had it easy seeing that you had to see them torture people day in- day out in your house." Hermione said softly. And in that moment, something behind these four childhood adversaries settled down.

OoOoO

 **A/N: Hey guys! I know I took a really long time to update because I was house shifting and didn't have time to complete the chapter before this.**

 **Anyhow, did you like the chapter?**

 **All reviews, likes and comments are appreciated.**

 **Much love**

 **SummertimeSparrow**


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